FAQs for Prospective Students

Hi there. You probably have a lot of questions about what it is like to be a member of the DPLS program. We have compiled a list of questions we hope will help you acclimate you nicely. In addition to the items below, more factoids and other news may be found on the DPLS blog.

The length of the program lies in the hands of each individual student. Some students go full-time, taking 2-4 classes in a semester, while other students take one class at a time or are summers-only students. To see a few suggested program tracks, please click here.

What we mean when we say "summers-only" is that some students opt to take classes during the summers only. Often, these students live out of town and travel to and temporarily live in Spokane during the summer term. While some students find a way to enroll in classes during the summers only, many "summers-only" students complete credits during the regular school year in the form of individually direct studies, online courses, or courses on campus. Moreover, given that the final completion of a doctoral program is the dissertation, all students should be expected to work on the dissertation year-round.

For an entire list of courses that the DPLS provides at one time or another, click here.

If we may, we have a few suggestions for your course schedule:

Take the core courses asap. These are DPLS 700, 701, 703 and 720. Not only do these courses provide the basis for your education, but they are required to begin your candidacy paper. But you must begin your candidacy paper before you complete/enroll credits.

Use as many individually directed study credits as allowed while writing the dissertation (which occurs after taking Proposal Seminar DPLS 730).

The doctoral program does not have any formal emphasis of research, but we can tell you what faculty members tend to focus on in their own research. These areas of focus include: servant-leadership, rapid assessment, leading in complexity, and feminist leadership. More information about each faculty member may be found here.

The student is assigned a pre-candidacy advisor on admission to the program. This advisor will aid the student to attain candidacy. Once candidacy status has been reached, the student will choose a dissertation faculty advisor (also known as a dissertation chairperson) who will work with the candidate to complete their requirements for graduation. Faculty members serve as a mentor to students, providing them encouragement and support along the journey to graduation. Faculty members are ready to support and guide students, but it is the responsibility of each student to seek the level and frequency of guidance desired.

Yes, prospective students are welcome to sit in on a class. To arrange this, please contact the DPLS Chair, Dr. JoAnn Danelo Barbour: barbourj@gonzaga.edu. Take a look at the DPLS academic calendar and then in your email to Dr. Barbour, please indicate a date or weekend in which you would like to attend a class(es). Dr. Barbour will arrange for you to attend a class(es) based on your preferences. Please try to allow at least a month for us to set it up; we recommend that you do not book flights until we have confirmed with you.

About half of the students in the DPLS program live in Spokane and the rest live elsewhere. While most students tend to travel from the Western half of the United States, we have had students travel all the way from Florida, Hawaii, and Italy.

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I Plan to Travel to Spokane For My Classes. Where Do I Stay? Where Do I Eat?^

During the regular school year, there are no on-campus living arrangements for doctoral students, but there are a few, affordable arrangements through Gonzaga-affiliated organizations. More information about that housing can be located here.

You must be a registered Gonzaga University graduate student in order to audit a DPLS course, and registration in the course is required. No credit hours are earned and audited courses do not apply toward a degree. The "AU" grade is not an option for instructors. Students must register for this grade mode no later than the Registrar's drop/add date. Anyone who audits a course must have the permission of the instructor and will be expected to do all the required work.

Great question. All that reading and sitting in front of a computer is not helping our bodies. The Rudolf Fitness Center is located on the southeast side of campus west of the McCarthey Athletic Center (basketball arena), south of the Foley Library, and north of the Centennial Trail. Working out at the Rudolf Fitness Center, however, is not included in the price of tuition. Graduate and Law School student governing bodies opted for the optional membership fee of $150 per fall/spring or $30/summer semester to use the Rudolf Fitness Center.

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How Do I Get Tickets to Men's Basketball Games and Other Sporting Events?^

Fortunately, you do not have to pitch a tent to get tickets to men's basketball games. All it takes is standing in a line on a Sunday morning. Find the explicit instructions here. For all other sporting events, students may just show up the game the day of and enter the game for free. Remember to bring your student ID card.